post day; at which he wondered, in regard Woolfeldt had
been himself often employed as a public minister, and knew so well what
belonged to the making of despatches.

To recover his lost time, Whitelocke (as he often used when business
pressed him) wrote one letter himself and dictated two others to his
secretaries at the same time, and so, in effect, wrote three letters at
once. The letter which he now wrote to Secretary Thurloe contained his
whole transactions since his last letters to him; and the conclusion of
the letter, showing the state of his negotiation, was this:--

"This afternoon Grave Eric came to me from the Queen, who desired
that my audience, appointed this day, might be put off till the
holidays were past, and said that by reason of the sacrament upon
Easter Day, this day and tomorrow were to be spent in preparation
thereunto; but he told me that she commanded him to receive my
objections to his articles in writing, the which I gave him
according to that large paper which you will receive herewith. We
had very much debate upon the particulars, much of it according to
what I have mentioned before.

"I have thought fit to send you this large paper that you might see
the whole business before you at one view, and it hath cost me some
pains. I shall continue my best endeavours to bring your business to
a good effect. I am put to struggle with more difficulties than I
could expect, and their policy here is great. One may soon be
overtaken with long, intricate, and new proposals; but I hope God
will direct me, whom I do seek, and shall not wilfully transgress my
instructions.

"When I speak with the Queen, she seems to be satisfied; and then
some of the grandees seek to persuade her to a contrary opinion, and
to keep me from her, and lay objections in the way to cross it (for
we want no enemies here). I then endeavour again to satisfy the
Queen, and break through their designs as well as I can; to do
which, and to get a good despatch against all opposition, and yet so
as not to supplicate anything from them, nor in the least to
prostitute the honour of my Lord Protector and of the Commonwealth,
or to prejudice them, is a task hard enough for a great favourite,
much more hard for a stranger, and whose differing principles may
render him the less acceptable. However, I shall hope that the Lord